What would YOU want to hear at church?

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Hi, okay, you do believe in ethics, so I presume you also believe in God...

Since when does believing in ethics have anything to do with believing in God?

Cliffy

+1

#92

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

Why I Hate Religion But Love Jesus Spoken Word - YouTube

Jesus, if he existed at all, was a great teacher. Nothing more. He taught tolerance and love of all people. Christianity is a religion, created by men, about Jesus as a divine being. In the original texts, Jesus supposedly said he was a child of god and that we are all children of god. He never claimed to be the only son of god, that was added in long after he died by Constantine. The whole deification of Jesus is borrowed completely from much older religions. If Christians knew anything at all about Jesus and his teachings they would know that he was against religion all together. That is why he harassed the self righteous religious types of his day.

Serryah

+1

#93

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by adopted

What about the Creator?

I personally have no issue with the Creator; rather it's the idiot humans who think they have the "inside scoop" on who It/She/He/They is/are. No one has the inside scoop on it. They have faith, they believe, they have opinions, but that's all, and their faith/belief/opinions are no right or wrong just as mine aren't right or wrong. The only time a faith/belief is wrong is when it does harm; that is where it's not faith or belief, but brainwashing and indoctrination.

As to the Op, okay, my question (questions, rather) would be "Why does it matter to you so much what God, or version there in, I believe in? And why does it matter to you and/or people of your congregation who I sleep with?"

Cliffy

#94

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Beware the self righteous! We can measure the damage done by the rapist and the murderer, but we have no way to measure the damage done by the self righteous. self-righteous(external - login to view)holier-than-thou(external - login to view), pharisaic(external - login to view), pharisaical(external - login to view), pietistic(external - login to view), pietistical(external - login to view)Synonymssanctimonious,pharisaical.

Machjo

#95

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by adopted

If you walked into a Christian church off the street, what question would you like to hear answered?

I wouldn't want any of my questions answered necessarily. I'd go to a Q&A session for that, not a church. I guess I'd just like them to recite or chant Bible passages and that's it. Maybe answering questions is the problem, since it involves answering based on a person's interpretation.

For the record, I don't profess the Christian Faith, but if Christians actually learnt the Bible things would be much better.

Cannuck

#96

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by gerryh

Abortion is wrong. It is taking a life. Man does not have the right to take anothers life.

Our legal system says otherwise. Suck it up sunshine. We all know you just hate women.

SLM

+2

#97

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

Jesus, if he existed at all, was a great teacher. Nothing more. He taught tolerance and love of all people. Christianity is a religion, created by men, about Jesus as a divine being. In the original texts, Jesus supposedly said he was a child of god and that we are all children of god. He never claimed to be the only son of god, that was added in long after he died by Constantine. The whole deification of Jesus is borrowed completely from much older religions. If Christians knew anything at all about Jesus and his teachings they would know that he was against religion all together. That is why he harassed the self righteous religious types of his day.

It's the message that's important, whether one believes him to be the son of God or a mere man, he had a beautiful and important message, imo.

I really can't understand how so many people who claim to follow him can so totally miss the message.

Cannuck

#98

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

You are either incredible stupid and have no idea how many denominations there are, you think everybody else is stupid and don't no how many denominations there are or spend an incredible amount of time visiting churches. Given your complete lack of understanding, I'm tossing out the last option.

TenPenny

+1

#99

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

It's the message that's important, whether one believes him to be the son of God or a mere man, he had a beautiful and important message, imo.

I really can't understand how so many people who claim to follow him can so totally miss the message.

And the message is?

JLM

#100

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

It's the message that's important, whether one believes him to be the son of God or a mere man, he had a beautiful and important message, imo.

I really can't understand how so many people who claim to follow him can so totally miss the message.

Churches are merely buildings erected by man, so I'm not even fully convinced that that is where you would find God or any of his answers in the first place. They are just places to hear man's preachings, fire and brimstone!

SLM

+2

#101

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by TenPenny

And the message is?

Acceptance.

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

Churches are merely buildings erected by man, so I'm not even fully convinced that that is where you would find God or any of his answers in the first place. They are just places to hear man's preachings, fire and brimstone!

That would depend on the man, they don't all preach that.

Cannuck

#102

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

Churches are merely buildings erected by man.

Church | Define Church at Dictionary.com(external - login to view)

Quote:

3.( sometimes initial capital letter ) the whole body of Christian believers; Christendom.4.( sometimes initial capital letter ) any division of this body professing the same creed and acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a Christian denomination: the Methodist Church.5.that part of the whole Christian body, or of a particular denomination, belonging to the same city, country, nation, etc.

Quote has been trimmed

No need to thank me JLM

JLM

#103

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cannuck

Church | Define Church at Dictionary.com(external - login to view)

No need to thank me JLM

I wasn't going to.

Cannuck

#104

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

I wasn't going to.

I'm sure you weren't. Why am I not surprised?

TenPenny

#105

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by SLM

Acceptance.

Acceptance of what, everything?

JLM

#106

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cannuck

I'm sure you weren't. Why am I not surprised?

So why mention it?

Cliffy

#107

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

You are either incredible stupid and have no idea how many denominations there are, you think everybody else is stupid and don't no how many denominations there are or spend an incredible amount of time visiting churches. Given your complete lack of understanding, I'm tossing out the last option.

My dad taught me to never lower myself to argue with a fool because "they will beat you every time with experience".

Cannuck

#108

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

So why mention it?

Sarcasm.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

My dad taught me to never lower myself to argue with a fool because "they will beat you every time with experience".

So I guess it's option one then.

Cliffy

#109

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cannuck

Sarcasm.

So I guess it's option one then.

Knock yourself out, if that's what gets your rocks off.

JLM

#110

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cannuck

Sarcasm.

So I guess it's option one then.

I was taught at an early age that "sarcasm" is the weapon of the weak.

SLM

+1

#111

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by TenPenny

Acceptance of what, everything?

Acceptance as opposed to judgement, particularly where there is no harm.

Look I don't even know what my own personal beliefs are, whether God is real or a concept. But when I see people holding signs saying "God hates..." or some individuals claim that the way two people choose to live their lives where no harm is being done to anyone is somehow evil or sinful and yet say they follow the teachings of Jesus, I just need to shake my head.

From what I recall, Jesus was the guy who hung out with the poor, the prostitutes, the lepers. All of societies rejects. And he gave them love and understanding and accepted them as people. To me that message doesn't jive with judging and denigrating the lifestyle of two unmarried adults who live together, for example.

Cannuck

#112

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

Knock yourself out, if that's what gets your rocks off.

I'd bet your bob and weave tactics really impress JLM.

JLM

#113

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

My dad taught me to never lower myself to argue with a fool because "they will beat you every time with experience".

You don't think that profound statement might have sailed right over his head?

Cliffy

#114

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by JLM

You don't think that profound statement might have sailed right over his head?

There is a reason he chose the most annoying avatar on the forums.

Cannuck

#115

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

It's understandable why some want to make the discussion about my avatar. They think it will direct attention away from their dishonesty.

JLM

#116

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Cliffy

There is a reason he chose the most annoying avatar on the forums.

I'd bet he didn't have to fight off any competition for it!

Machjo

+1

#117

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

If only I had a time machine, I'd go back, pick up Tolstoy and William Blake, bring them back, and take them to a contemporary Church and see what they'd think of it.

Dexter Sinister

+1

#118

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

A first century Jewish zombie who's his own father will arrange for you to live forever if you eat his flesh and drink his blood and tell him telepathically you accept him as your absolute master, then he will remove an evil spell from your soul that we all have because a woman he made from a rib and a pile of dirt was once tricked into eating the fruit of a magic tree by a talking snake. Makes perfect sense.

Spade

+2

#119

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Christianity lost its way by emphasizing myth rather than brotherhood and good works.

JLM

+1

#120

Re: What would YOU want to hear at church?

Jan 24th, 2012

Quote: Originally Posted by Spade

Christianity lost its way by emphasizing myth rather than brotherhood and good works.

Methinks the emphasizing may have been done by those who are trying to pass themselves off as Christians.